Laminated tool and a method for forming a tool

ABSTRACT

A tool  10  and a method  50  for producing a tool  10  by laminatingly forming a pre-tool or undersized object  16  and then casting a second material  74  unto the pre-tool  16 , thereby forming the tool  10  and allowing the tool to have the superior characteristics associated with the lamination strategy while concomitantly reducing, minimizing, and/or eliminating undesired finish surface features.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a laminated tool and to a method for forming a tool and more particularly, to a tool which is formed by castably placing a surface finish or forming portion upon a pre-finished or “undersized” tool, and to a method for using this technique or strategy for forming or creating such a tool.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional tooling techniques or strategies typically require the creation of a tool from a relatively solid block of material. It should be realized, at the outset, that the term “tool”, as used in this description, means any item used to create an object or tangible item and is to be construed in the broadest manner possible relative to the types of items or objects that it may create.

While these conventional tooling techniques do usually allow a desired tool to be created, they suffer from some drawbacks. By way of example and without limitation, they are relatively costly and time consuming and the detrimental impact of these disadvantages typically increases in direct proportion to the size and/or complexity of the created tool.

One approach to overcome these difficulties involves the use of a plurality of sectional members which are selectively coupled and which are made to cooperatively form the tool. Such a technique is often referred to as a “lamination technique” and, by way of example and without limitation, is described and claimed within U.S. Pat. No. 6,587,742 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “the '742 patent”) which issued on Jul. 1, 2003, which is fully and completely incorporated herein by reference, word for word, and paragraph for paragraph, and which is owned by Applicant's Assignee.

While the laminated tooling technique or strategy does dramatically reduce the cost and time associated with the production of a tool, it sometimes produces an uneven surface finish which, in some situations, must be finished or “reworked” (e.g., the unevenness of the surface finish portion must be made to be relatively smooth and uniform).

Yet another approach involves casting the tool. While this approach does reduce the overall time and cost involved in the tool creation process, the produced (e.g., “casted”) tool is structurally weak and has poor heat transfer characteristics, thereby causing this approach to be generally undesirable.

There is therefore a need for a new and improved tool creation technique/strategy/method and a new and improved tool which overcomes some or all of the foregoing drawbacks associated with prior tool creation techniques/strategies/methods and tools. The present invention provides these and other benefits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a first non-limiting object of the present invention to provide a tool and a method for producing a tool which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior tools and tool formation methodologies/strategies and techniques.

It is a second non-limiting object of the present invention to provide a tool and a method for producing a tool which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior tools and tool formation methodologies/strategies and techniques and which, by way of example and without limitation, provides a tool which is structurally strong and has relatively good heat transfer characteristics.

It is a third non-limiting object of the present invention to provide a tool and a method for producing a tool which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior tools and tool producing strategies and methodologies and techniques which, by way of example and without limitation, involves the use of dissimilar materials in the tool formation process and in the produced tool.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a laminated tool is provided. Particularly, the laminated tool includes a plurality of sectional members which are respectively formed from a first material and which cooperatively form a forming surface; and a layer of a second material which is cast upon said forming surface.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for producing a tool is provided. Particularly, the method includes the steps of initially determining a desired size of said tool; forming a plurality of sections from a first material; coupling the sections, effective to cause the coupled sections to form an object having a forming surface, the object being dissimilar from the desired size; and placing a thin layer of a second material upon the forming surface, thereby forming the tool.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a method for forming a tool of a certain predetermined size and shape is provided. Particularly, the method includes the steps of forming an object from a first material, the object having a shape which is substantially similar to the predetermined shape but which is smaller than the predetermined size; and placing a quantity of a second material upon the formed object, thereby forming a second object having a size and a shape which is substantially identical to the predetermined size and shape.

According, to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a method for forming a tool is provided and includes the steps of determining a size and a shape to be given to the tool; forming an undersized tool having a certain forming surface, wherein the tool is formed from the cooperative combination of a plurality of sectional lamination members each of which is formed from a first material; using the formed surface to create a casting model; using the casting model to apply a second material to the certain formed surface, thereby forming said tool of the determined size and shape.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, including the subjoined claims, and by reference to the following drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a tool which is made in accordance with the teachings of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view, taken along view line 2-2′, of the tool which is shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a sequence of steps which cooperatively form the method of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of material castably placed onto an object in a manner which is necessary to create a tool according to the methodology of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of one of the lamination sectional members which is shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a top view of a pre-tool or undersized tool object which is created as part of the overall methodology of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, there is shown a tool 10 which is made in accordance with the teachings of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Particularly, the tool 10 is made, in the most preferred embodiment of the invention, from several formed sectional members, such as sectional members 12 and 14, and by a lamination tool creation process which is more specifically delineated within The '742 patent. In this most preferred embodiment of the invention, the sectional members, such as sectional member 12, which is shown, for example, in FIG. 5, and sectional member 14 each correspond to a sectional member, such as sectional member 66, which is shown and described within The '742 patent. It should be further appreciated that in the most preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the sectional members 12, 14 are formed from a first material (e.g., commercially available carbon based or stainless steel) and are then cooperatively coupled, for example in the manner specified by The '742 patent, to form a pre-tool or “unfinished tool”, such as object 16 which is shown in FIG. 6, and which is substantially similar in shape, but not in overall size, to the tool 10, and without the finished surface 18. In essence, in the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the created pre-tool object 16 is undersized by an amount which is substantially equal to the size and shape of the finished surface 18. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the overall shape of the finished surface 18 is substantially identical to the overall shape of the unfinished surface 20 of the pre-tool 16, although, in other embodiments, the overall shape of the finished surface 18 does not have to be identical or substantially identical to the overall shape of the unfinished surface 20.

As will be discussed in greater detail below, in one non-limiting embodiment, the finished surface 18 is formed from a second and dissimilar material to that which is used to form the sectional members, such as sectional members 12, 14. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the surface finish 18 is formed from epoxy or another type of compound or material which is dissimilar to the material used to selectively form the sectional members, such as sectional members 12, 14.

Further, as shown best in FIGS. 1 and 5, in one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, all or some of the sectional members, such as sectional members 12, 14, have at least one formed opening or orifice, such as opening or orifice 30 and these openings or orifices 30 are respectively registered with certain other such openings or orifices 30 (e.g., made to communicate or are communicatively coupled) when the sectional members, such as sectional members 12, 14, are cooperatively coupled to form the pre-tool or object 16. In this manner, conformal cooling channels or passages may be efficiently formed within the formed tool. For example, a first of these conformal cooling channels or passages, such as passageway 40, may substantially traverse the entire tool 10 (e.g., from one side or end to a second opposed side or end), while a second conformal cooling channel or passageway, such as channel or passageway 42 may be “interrupted” by the unfinished surface or unfinished object forming portion 20. The number, direction, size, shape, and length of each of these conformal cooling channels, such as passageways 40, 42, may be easily fixed by a designer or user of the tool 10 and may depend upon the overall size and use of the tool 10.

To better understand the overall methodology of the preferred embodiment of the invention, reference is now made to FIG. 3 which includes a methodology 50 having a sequence of steps which cooperatively form the tool formation or creation methodology of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Particularly, methodology 50 includes a first step 52 which denotes the overall beginning or “start” of the methodology 50 and which represents an intent or desire to build a tool, such as tool 10.

Step 52 is followed by step 54 in which the overall size and shape of the desired tool, such as tool 10, is determined. Such a determination includes the desired number and the respective size, shape and length of the conformal-cooling channels, such as passageways 40, 42.

Step 54 is followed by step 56 in which the pre-tool or unfinished tool or undersized object 16 is created, including an unfinished surface 20. Particularly, in the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the unfinished tool 16 is created, as earlier described, by the use of laminates or sectional members, such as sectional members 12, 14, and is undersized, in the most preferred embodiment of the invention, by an amount equal to the size of the finished surface 18. The creation of the object 16 may be accomplished, by example, according to the teachings of The '742 patent.

Step 58 follows step 56 and, in this step 58, a finish layer, such as surface finish layer 18, is placed upon the unfinished surface 20 of the pre-tool 16. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the surface finish layer 18 is comprised of epoxy and is castably placed upon the unfinished surface 20.

That is, as shown best in FIG. 4, a casting pattern assembly or model 70 is created (e.g., model 70 may comprise a mold) having a casting surface 72 which is substantially identical, (e.g., in size and shape), in the most preferred embodiment of the invention, to the unfinished surface 20. That is, for example, a model of the surface 20 is taken, made or created and used to form the casting pattern assembly of mold. After the casting pattern assembly or model 70 is created, a second material 74, such as epoxy, which is dissimilar to the material which is used to create the sectional members, such as sectional members 12, 14, is cast upon the unfinished surface 20, by the assembly 70, thereby forming the finished surface 18. Step 58 is followed by step 60 which denotes the completion of the tool 10.

It should be understood that the sectional members, such as sectional members 12, 14 may be manufactured from copper, aluminum, or substantially any other desired material. Further, it should be appreciated that adhering portions, such as hooks or ridges or protuberances (of various sizes and shapes) 100, may be formed upon the surface 20 and are respectively and cooperatively effective to enhance the adherence of the material 74 to the unfinished surface 20 by increasing the surface area upon which the material 74 is bound and by “disrupting” the “smoothness” of the surface 20. It should also be realized that, in the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the layer 18 is relatively thin (e.g., about two to about twenty centimeters), although other widths and thicknesses may be utilized. Further, it should be realized that portions 100 may be formed by “machining” or otherwise “working”/cutting surface 20, or by any other technique.

It should be further realized that the foregoing casting methodology allows substantially any sort or undesired undulations, protuberances, “steps”, or other surface or spatial features to be covered and “smoothed” by the second material 74. Hence, the foregoing strategy concomitantly provide the desired cost benefit, superior strength, and heat transfer characteristics associated with a laminate tool, while cost effectively minimizing and/or eliminating the undesired finished surface features associated with the lamination technique/strategy (e.g., the foregoing casting process is a very cost efficient process and smooths the surface 20).

Further, it should be appreciated that the second material 74 may comprise substantially any castable material (e.g., any material, such as copper, which is capable of being casted unto the undersized object or tool in the manner delineated above) and that the passageways, such as 40, 42, may be used to heat and/or cool the finished tool 10.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact construction and methodology which has been illustrated and discussed above, but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the inventions as they are more fully delineated in the foregoing claims. 

1) A laminated tool having a plurality of sectional members which are respectively formed from a first material and which cooperatively form a forming surface; and a layer of a second material which is cast upon said forming surface. 2) The laminated tool of claim 1 wherein said first material comprises steel and wherein said second material comprises epoxy. 3) The laminated tool of claim 2 wherein said layer of said epoxy is thin. 4) The laminated tool of claim 3 wherein said plurality of said sectional members cooperatively form at lease one passage. 5) The laminated tool of claim 1 wherein said first material comprises copper and wherein said second material comprises epoxy. 6) The laminated tool of claim 1 wherein said first material comprises aluminum and wherein said second material comprises epoxy. 7) The laminated tool of claim 4 wherein said at least one passage comprises a heating passage. 8) The laminated tool of claim 4 wherein said at least one passage comprises a cooling passage. 9) A method for producing a tool comprising the steps of initially determining a desired size of said tool; forming a plurality of sections from a first material; coupling said sections, effective to cause said coupled sections to form an object having a forming surface, said object being dissimilar from said desired size; and placing a thin layer of a second material upon said forming surface, thereby forming said tool. 10) The method of claim 9 wherein said first material comprises steel and wherein said second material comprises epoxy. 11) The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of forming at least one opening in each of said sections; and registering said at least one opening of each of said sections as said sections are coupled, thereby causing said registered openings to form at least one passageway within said tool. 12) The method of claim 11 wherein said step of placing said thin layer of said epoxy upon said steel material comprises the step of casting said epoxy upon said steel material. 13) The method of claim 12 wherein said at least one passageway traverses said tool. 14) The method of claim 9 wherein said first material comprises copper and wherein second material comprises epoxy. 15) The method of claim 9 wherein said first material comprises aluminum and said second material comprises epoxy. 16) The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one passageway comprises a cooling passageway. 17) The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one passageway comprises a heating passageway. 18) A method for forming a tool of a certain predetermined size and shape, said method comprising the steps of forming an object from a first material, said object having a shape which is substantially similar to said predetermined shape but which is smaller than said predetermined size; and placing a quantity of a second material upon said formed object, thereby forming a second object having a size and a shape which is substantially identical to said predetermined size and shape. 19) The method of claim 18 wherein said first material comprises steel and wherein said second material comprises epoxy. 20) The method of claim 19 wherein said step of placing said quantity of said second material upon said formed object comprises the step of casting said second material upon said formed object. 21) The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of placing surface features upon a portion of said object which is effective to assist in binding said second material upon said formed object. 22) The method of claim 18 wherein said first material comprises copper and wherein said second material comprises epoxy. 23) The method of claim 18 wherein said first material comprises aluminum and wherein said second material comprises epoxy. 24) A method for forming a tool comprising the steps of determining a size and a shape to be given to said tool; forming an undersized tool having a certain surface finish, wherein said tool is formed from the cooperative combination of a plurality of sectional lamination members each of which is formed from a first material; using said surface finish to create a casting model; using said casting model to apply a second material to said certain surface finish, thereby forming said tool of said determined size and shape. 25) The method of claim 24 wherein said second material comprises epoxy and wherein said first material comprises steel. 26) The method of claim 25 wherein each of said plurality of said lamination members respectively includes an opening and wherein each of said respective openings are registered when said plurality of lamination members are cooperatively coupled, thereby forming at least on conformal cooling passage within said tool. 27) The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of forming an adhering portion upon said surface finish. 28) The method of claim 27 wherein each of said plurality of lamination members has a substantially identical thickness. 29) The method of claim 24 wherein said first material comprises copper and wherein said second material comprises epoxy. 30) The method of claim 24 wherein said first material comprises aluminum and wherein said second material comprises epoxy. 31) The method of claim 27 wherein said adhering portion comprises a protuberance. 32) The method of claim 27 wherein said adhering portion comprises a ridge. 